Love Isn't All That Simple
by WishIWasJKR
Summary: DH was way too much of a happy ending  romance wise. This is mainly about HG, unwanted pregnancies, divorce, it's all in there. Goes by DH, so spoilers, dur, but not by the epilogue. And there's no Teddy, either. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE. HrR,BWHG,GWAS,HPGW
1. The Hard Decision

**I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Summary: **Let's face it folks: Deathly Hallows had too much of a happy ending romance-wise. Well, this fic is for all you people out there who like Harry/Ginny, just not perfectly, Hermione/Ron, but also Hermione/Bill, George/Alicia and unwanted pregnancies, and hate Bill/Fleur. Mainly about Harry, Ginny, their daughter Hope, and their... read to find out! It goes by DH, just not by the epilogue...Oh, and I just couldn't fit Teddy in! Sorry!

This chapter contains bottle-throwing, drunken Ginny, suggestive swearing. And, yeah.

* * *

Ginny Potter rolled onto her side and watched her husband, Harry Potter, sleep. It had been ten months since she had married Harry, and one since their daughter, Hope Dakota, was born. But it wasn't the same. Whereas back at Hogwarts the couple hardly ever rowed, now it was different. Being under the same roof was rather testing their relationship. 

It was a few minutes till Harry woke up. He kissed Ginny lightly on the forehead and looked past her at the cot. The red-haired and green-eyed baby had not bothered the couple for the whole night, which was extremely lucky.

Slowly, Ginny and Harry got up, leaned against the cot and peered down at Hope. She was sleeping quite soundly, and Harry put his arm around Ginny and kissed her cheek.

In better times, Ginny would have jumped on Harry and snogged him, but not now, not today. Instead, Ginny read _Witch Weekly_ as Harry got changed and they made their way to the kitchen. Harry buttered some toast as Ginny looked around at the small house from her seat next to Harry on the kitchen table. Ginny had joined the Holyhead Harpies as soon as she left school, and her trophies from the two years she had played were visible through the door leading to the sitting room. Ginny wished that she had played for more than two years, but Harry had asked her to marry him, and then Hope had come along.

A snowy owl flew through the open kitchen window and landed on the kitchen table. Harry placed a Knut in the owl's pouch and took the_ Daily Prophet _and started reading through it.

"You going to work today?" asked Ginny, reaching across the table for some toast and applying strawberry jam on it.

"Yeah," replied Harry, turning the page of the _Prophet _idly. "We've got a couple of people to interview, check whether they are Death Eaters. Kingsley reckons they're not but best be sure, so Ron, Hermione and I are going out to check."

"What does Hermione do with Dan and MJ when she's at work?" asked Ginny, peering over curiously at Harry.

"Leaves 'em at her parents," said Harry, once more turning the page of his newspaper. "They love the little guys, as all grandparents would."

Harry hid his face behind the newspaper at this, wondering how his parents would have treated Hope and Ginny.

"I want to get a job, you know, after Hope grows up a bit," said Ginny, staring out the window.

"But you don't need one, we've got enough money," said Harry.

"Then why are you still working?" asked Ginny angrily. If there was one thing she hated, it was being told she couldn't do something, or hinting on it. She had, after all, been treated like that when she was younger.

"Sorry," said Harry, and he disappeared behind his newspaper before the argument could get really heated.

"No, I'm sorry," said Ginny, and she got up and disappeared into the bedroom to check on Hope, Harry calling after her in desparation.

"Bye, Ginny," called Harry from the kitchen some five minutes later, when Ginny was feeding Hope and he was about to leave.

"Bye," said Ginny, no "honey" or "love" or "darling".

Harry Disapparated with a "crack" to work and went into one of the lifts. Hermione and Ron were the only ones in there.

"Hey, guys," said Harry, "can I ask you a question?"

* * *

Harry Apparated home at about six in the evening. 

"Hey Harry," said Ginny, Hope in one of her arms and a spatula in her opposite hand. Harry dropped some papers onto the bench, walked over and picked Hope out of Ginny's arm.

"What's wrong?" asked Ginny. That was the thing about Ginny, she knew Harry too well. You couldn't not know someone if you were completely in love with them from the age of eleven.

"Look, Ginny, I think we better break up," said Harry, slowly and clearly.

"Break up?" asked Ginny, with a wave of her wand letting the dinner cook automatically. "Harry, we're not some Hogwarts couple that can just break up and pretend everything's fine. You're The Boy Who Lived, I'm an ex-Quidditch player, we're married and we've got a one month old daughter. That's divorce, Harry. And my brothers would kill me, well, more so you."

"Don't worry about your brothers, I talked to Ron, he said he'd rather us be happy," said Harry.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Ron's just one of my brothers. Did you see the looks Bill gave you when-" Ginny stopped mid sentence. "You talked this over with Ron and Hermione, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah-"

"I don't want a effing husband who talks about me behind my back," shouted Ginny, walking around to sit at the kitchen table.

Harry put an arm on her shoulder but Ginny pushed it away.

"I need Firewhisky," said Ginny, standing up and heading for the cupboard above the sink.

"Wait, I have some papers you need to sign, if you want to file for a divorce," said Harry tentatively, readjusting Hope on his chest and taking the papers off the bench and handing them to Ginny. "It's about what we want - custody of Hope, who gets the house... I've signed it, you can make the conditions whatever you like."

Ginny worked through the paperwork in the next ten minutes, allowing Harry to keep the house (she couldn't bare living in it anyway), her to take care of Hope for the next eleven months, after which they would alternate for every week, Harry to visit whenever he wanted in those eleven months, Ginny to change her name to Weasley again, Hope's surname to be Weasley-Potter, the two of them to equally share the belongings, and making Harry split a quarter of his money with Ginny, seeing as Harry had more than enough money and Ginny was not working.

"Right, can I go get a drink now?" asked Ginny, and before Harry could respond she had whipped out a bottle of Firewhisky and drained quite a lot.

"Gin," said Harry. "Ginny you shouldn't have-"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do," said Ginny, and she walked over to the table and flung herself into a chair.

"Ginny, I'll be right back, just don't have another drink," said Harry, and he Disapparated with Hope.

He knocked on the door of the roomy house in the countryside rapidly. Ron opened the door, his red hair rather messy, and Harry did not want to imagine what he and Hermione had been doing just then. Instead, Harry handed Hope to Ron.

"Can you just take care of Hope for a sec," and Harry Apparated back to his and Ginny's house. Ginny was not in a good state. She had drained the rest of the bottle she had opened before and had started on another one. Luckily, Ginny was sitting at the table, for Harry was sure that otherwise she would have lost her balance. Her eyes were tear-stained and she was sobbing loudly.

"Ginny," said Harry, slightly exasperated.

"What? Am I too ugly of a (INSERT WORD MEANING FEMALE DOG HERE) to you?" sobbed Ginny. "Is that why? Well, I'm sure there are some better looking ones at work. Go marry them."

"Ginny," said Harry. "Calm do-"

Ginny chucked a bottle at the opposite wall. It crashed, spilling Firewhisky on the wall and the tiles.

"Levicorpus," muttered Harry, pointing his wand at Ginny, and she was forced into the air and hung by an invisible rope tied to her feet, revolving slightly. "I'll be back."

Harry Apparated to Ron and Hermione's countryside house again and knocked. Ron answered the door and let him in, a two-year-old Daniel Alex Weasley on his shoulders and pulling his hair.

"Hey-ow-Harry, what's up?" asked Ron as they stood near the door.

"Ginny's completely drunk," said Harry.

At these words, Hermione emerged with a wise look on her face, Hope in one arm and her daughter Melanie-Jane in the other. She gave both to Harry, told him to "stay here" and Disapparated with a crack.

"Best let her deal with it, I guess," said Ron, and he gestured Harry into the living room and sat Daniel down on the floor.

* * *

Crack.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!"

Hermione stormed into the Potters' kitchen and with a wave of her wand let Ginny down softly. She collapsed into a chair at the table.

"Get a hold of yourself," shrieked Hermione, sitting opposite her.

"Is Ron divorcing you or are you guys just sha-"

"Ginny, guys aren't everything!" Hermione interrupted. "Don't you remember those joyous times when you were single? Parties, actually being able to stare at guys without getting a scolding-"

"Hermione, I wasn't single for as long as you coz guys actually like me," said Ginny.

"Then why are you so upset?" asked Hermione, trying her hardest to not get offended by the drunken Ginny's comments.

"Coz Harry doesn't love me," wailed Ginny.

"And do you love him?"

"No."

"Then what's the point of being married?" asked Hermione. "You'll just be miserable."

Ginny hiccoughed. Hermione went over to the kitchen, turned off the stove, and withdrew some potions ingredients out of the cupboard and quickly stirred them together. She then gave the Undrunkening Potion to Ginny, who drained it whole.

"Oh no," she wailed after a minute. "Where's Hope?"

Ginny stood up, but Hermione pushed her back into her seat.

"Do you remember everything I just told you?" asked Hermione sternly.

"Yeah, guys aren't everything, blah blah, now give my baby back!"

Hermione gave Ginny a searching look and then Side-Along Apparated her to her and Ron's house. Ginny quickly crossed the threshold, looking around wildly. Hermione guided her to the living room, where Ginny promptly took Hope out of Harry's arms and rocked her a bit.

"She needs feeding," said Ginny, and hurried out of the room with the small baby.

"Let your reckless life begin, mate," Ron whispered with a slap on Harry's back, so that Hermione, who was bustling about trying to prepare dinner, couldn't hear.


	2. George's Troubles

Disclaimer: Not JKR...yet!

**Author's note** I know this is short, and kinda late, but please be patient. Please review if you want to say ANYTHING about this fic.

Ginny moved back into The Burrow the next day, after spending the night at Hermione's and letting Harry go back to their house. Ginny's parents, Mr and Mrs Weasley, were rather supportive of her. They couldn't be mad at her, not after Bill divorced Fleur the previous year. They came with Ginny to court on the second day she stayed with them, Mrs Weasley holding Hope. Ginny was glad that, when they were discussing custody of Hope, Harry didn't mention her drunken night. So everything was settled the way Ginny had written down on the forms. Afterwards, Ginny went back to the Burrow after letting Harry cuddle Hope for a while.

The late-January chill meant that wherever Ginny took Hope, the baby was wrapped in an emerald blanket. The same colour as Harry's eyes - no, she shouldn't think like that.

"I can't believe you," said George as he, Alicia, Bill, Ginny and Hope were sitting around the table on the last day of January. George, Alicia and Bill had dropped by before going home from work. "You were so annoying when you were eleven, saying how Harry and you were meant to be, and you divorce him after less than a year?"

"Even Fleur and I lasted longer," said Bil.

"So, what are you gonna turn into now, a sl-"

Alicia slapped George on the arm.

"Don't be so mean. Things didn't work out between her and Harry so they're moving on, nothing wrong with that."

Ginny thought there was something weird going on with Alicia. She wasn't wearing her usual short skirt and tight t-shirt, but a light, flowing green and pink dress. Maybe it was some early mid-life crisis.

"So, what are you guys doing?" asked Ginny, "Are you three, like, doing anything new?"

"Lee's getting married," said George.

"Really," asked Ginny, surprised. "To who?"

"A Muggle girl, apparently she's really famous, Faye Haze," said George.

"Skank," said Alicia, under her breath. "She's bulemic. Even under all her expensive perfume you can smell vomit."

Ginny grimaced and rocked Hope a bit.

"She's pretty though," said George.

"Haven't you learnt from my experiences not to marry a girl who's only pretty?" asked Bill, as Ginny was sure she saw Alicia give George a furtive and suspicious look.

"Yeah, I'm really going to get married soon," said George. "The day I get married is the day Charlie burns his dragon boxers."

"I think I better go, I promised Mum I'd stop by," said Alicia. She gave George a quick kiss and made towards the door, before stopping and swaying slightly. George rushed out of his chair to her side, and whispered something in her ear. Alicia nodded.

"Are you alright, Leesh?" asked Bill, as he and Ginny stood up and walked over, Ginny with Hope, to Alicia.

"I'm fine," said Alicia, brushing George's hand off her arm. "Bye, guys."

She Disapparated with a crack, leaving Ginny in wonder.

* * *

Later on in the week, Ginny was peering down at Hope sleeping in her crib and reminiscing about what life was and would now be like, when she heard yelling from downstairs. Hope stirred, so Ginny put a Silencing Charm on the door, shaking her head, before rubbing lavender oil on Hope's forehead. When Ginny eventually went downstairs, Mrs Weasley was cooking dinner rather angrily and Mr Weasley was calmly reading the Evening Prophet. Things didn't exactly look that good.

The next morning, Ginny found out why. She was down at breakfast with Hope when an owl flew through the window and pecked at her bracelet. It was George's tawny owl, Grey. Ginny took the letter from him and read it.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Alicia's pregnant. Now before you go on about how we're not even married, let me say that I have already been deafened by Mum and Mrs Spinnet. I explained to them that it was New Year's Eve and we were drunk but they still don't understand. Mr Spinnet and Dad are cool with it though, as long as we get married sometime soon._

_But that's the thing: Ali wants to break up. Says she's been drooling over a Muggle boy down the road from her place for a little while now. And, well, I can't take it any more either. Eight years ago we went on our first date to the Yule Ball. Eight years ago. I want someone else, and to expand the joke shop. Lee might leave, he's got enough money with Faye and he might even leave the wizarding world for good, who knows?_

_But before anything, we have to go to court for custody over our unborn child. I was wondering whether you'd help with my case. I can't ask Hermione, she's too busy, plus, you've already had a similar case with Hope and Harry, and that worked out, so will you please, please, please with strawberries stolen from Mum's garden on top, help me? _

_Ever since Fred died, you've been my closest sibling._

_George_


	3. A Sister Slash Servant

**Disclaimer:** I am not JK Rowling, that is my wish.

* * *

Ginny sighed and put aside the letter. She definitely didn't want George to grow up not knowing his child – that would be perfectly cruel. Hugging Hope close to her, Ginny got up and went to her room to get dressed in a bright green and pink dress and pink ballet flats. Hope, who Mrs Weasley had bought a dummy for, was sucking on the dummy from her cot as she changed. Ginny picked Hope up and walked downstairs with her.

"I'm just going out, Mum," said Ginny, feeling childish for having to tell her parents when she was leaving the Burrow.

Ginny entered the fireplace and Flooed to Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley, making sure Hope's nose was covered. She brushed herself off and exited the bookstore. Clouds blanketed the sky, a barricade against sunlight. Ginny walked with Hope and entered the door to the premises on the right.

Ginny had never visited the library at Diagon Alley, possibly because it did not have any fireplaces that were connected via the Floo Network, so as to keep the peace of the place. Hermione had once popped into the library before Ginny's second year, thinking there was a possibility that Harry was in there, as they still hadn't found him. But Ginny knew better than to look for Harry in the library. She had wandered off, and spotted Harry gazing at the Firebolt in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies. Seeing, however, that Ginny was still shy when it came to Harry then, she didn't tell anyone of seeing him, let alone go and talk to him.

Ginny blinked and waited for her eyes to adjust. The library was very large and bright. To Ginny's right, witches and wizards sat behind glass windows, registering new library members and borrowing books out to wizards and witches. At one of the glass windows, a blonde-haired witch was passing books through the gap in the window to an irate-looking lady, who must have been a Squib, for instead of waving her wand to borrow the books out she passed them over a scanner. On the left was a large sign carved into the wall with the heading "British Magic Council Library, Diagon Alley", underneath which was the motto "Reading is Power." The sign had written on it the different sections of the library in alphabetical order, under which were subsections, in eight columns. Witches and wizards were tapping their wands at sections and then vanishing in an instant.

Walking over to the sign with Hope, Ginny decided to register at the library after finding some books.

"Let's see," she thought.

Her eyes flickered down the columns, trying to find an appropriate section. Finally, she found the section for Law, and tapped her wand on the subsection for Family Law. Ginny and Hope were transported to the Family Law section and, after conjuring a pram for Hope and settling the now-sleeping baby in it, Ginny looked through the collection of books on the aforementioned section. She pulled a couple of books out of the shelves and started to read them.

_Early 20th Century Laws on Divorce_ was out of date, _Winning Full Custody From Irresponsible Partners _was no good, as George wanted equal custody with Alicia and _Men Taking Full Custody_ was useless for the same reason. Ginny put the books on a shelf at random, and they disappeared to their usual place.

Before Ginny could get another handful of books, Hope woke up and started to cry. Ginny swore and rushed over to the pram.

"Unbelievable!"

A strict-looking bespectacled witch, whose black hair was in a tight bun away from her wrinkled face, appeared at the end of the aisle.

"You bring a baby," she screamed, louder than it was possible for any baby to cry, "into a library! What were you thinking? Banned! Get OUT!"

Ginny pushed the pram down the aisles and out of the library hurriedly, muttering a stream of swear words. Once outside, she sat down on the cobbled street and took Hope in her arms. The baby quietened when she was patted on the back. After Hope was completely silent, Ginny Flooed back to The Burrow from Flourish and Blotts.

As Mrs Weasley made sure that Hope was quiet and had clean nappies on, Ginny worked on George's speech and points in defence in the living room. Mr Weasley was sitting in his favourite chair in that room, reading the Daily Prophet. After an hour of Ginny lying on the floor listening to the occasional turn of the paper from Mr Weasley as she wrote on a rather long piece of parchment, another sound greeted her ears.

Ginny heard the creak of the door in the kitchen opening and a very familiar voice said, "Hey Molly." The owner of the voice then entered the living room, and Ginny had to stop herself from gasping. Harry's hair was still black and messy and his eyes were still green behind his glasses, but he was not alone. His fingers were entwined with those of a brunette with grey eyes. She wore Capri pants and a light green top.

"Hey Arthur, Ginny," said Harry nonchalantly. "This is Zabrina."

Harry introduced Zabrina to Ginny and Mr Weasley and they all said 'hi'. Soon Mrs Weasley was downstairs with Hope and handed her to Harry. Hope cooed in his arms and relaxed. Zabrina put her finger in Hope's hand and Hope's hand closed around it.

"Aw," said Zabrina, "She is adorable."

Harry and Zabrina settled with Hope on the couch and Ginny sat up on the floor. Mrs Weasley bustled about in the kitchen after insisting Harry and Zabrina stay for a snack.

"So," whispered Harry, "I heard about George and Alicia."

"Well, that's what I've just been working on, the custody case," said Ginny.

"What?" asked Harry, surprised. "You mean Ali's not alright with equal custody?"

"Well, I dunno, but George wanted to help me with his case so here I am, little sister slash servant," said Ginny.

Zabrina chuckled.

"Oh, I wish I had so many brothers. All I have is an un-identical twin sister," she said.

"Why d'you wish you had brothers?" asked Ginny.

"'Cause then you could check out all their hot friends," said Zabrina.

Ginny and Zabrina giggled like they were teenagers again, causing Harry and Mr Weasley to exchange glances.

After they all had some sponge cake, Harry and Zabrina left with a crack and Ginny took Hope up to her room. When she got up there she found a barn owl had flew in through the open window and had dozed off on her table. Ginny placed Hope in her cot and searched about for a Knut. After finding one under her drawers, she placed it in the owl's pouch, took the copy of _Witch Weekly_ from it and shook the owl slightly. It gave a hoot before flying out the window.

Ginny was shocked to see that on the front cover of the magazine was a picture of her and Harry with, how unoriginal, a lightning bolt separating them. She opened the magazine to a page at random.

_Favourite Celebrity Couple Divorced_

_by Rita Skeeter_

_A Ministry insider has confirmed that Harry Potter, defeater of Lord Voldemort, and Ginny Weasley, ex-Holyhead Harpies player, have divorced. The ministry insider was at the case, and said that the couple had already agreed on the terms of their divorce peacefully._

Ginny closed the magazine and reopened it at the contents.

_Harry and Ginny: The Hogwarts Romance...Page 3_

_Harry and Ginny: A Romance in Pictures...Page 5_

_Interview with Harry and Ginny (1999): Living with the Prophecy...Page 7_

"Damn gossiping women!" muttered Ginny, closing the magazine and chucking it on her table. "Nosy, self-centred-"

"Ginny?"

Mrs Weasley poked her head into Ginny's room.

"Darling, lunch is ready," said Mrs Weasley, tidying up some of Ginny's belongings. Ginny rolled her eyes at her mum's retreating back, before realising the copy of _Witch Weekly_ was gone.

Ginny looked down at Hope in her cot. The small baby's green eyes were looking up at her. Harry's eyes.

"Ginny!" Mrs Weasley called from downstairs. "Lunch!"

* * *

**AN: **Thanks for still reading guys! I know I haven't updated in ages, but I'll try over the next two weeks to write as much as possible, as I have holidays. 


	4. Irresponsible George?

**Disclaimer: **Hang on, I'll get those D.N.A results… no sorry, I'm not JK Rowling.

Enjoy!

Savi

* * *

"C'mon, George!" 

Ginny was waiting in George's flat, tapping her foot impatiently. She had left Hope with her mum at The Burrow and was dressed in business-like dress robes. George had gone upstairs to flatten his hair, which for once was not obeying his command.

"We're going to be late, George!"

It was the day of the trial, February 13th, and Ginny was the only one in the family who could come, as everyone else was either working or taking care of some child or another - wizarding day-care wasn't exactly cheap.

George came out of his room in the most business-like robes he had that weren't his work robes (so in actual fact he did not look very business-like at all), the hair on the back of his head still sticking up. He looked extremely frantic, and was shaking the parchment with his points so violently that Ginny thought it best to take them out of his hands.

"They don't expect you to be perfect, George," said Ginny.

"Yeah, okay, let's go," said George, and they went downstairs to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes and out onto the cobbled street of Diagon Alley.

George tapped his fingers on the palm of his other hand nervously as he walked and by the time he and Ginny entered The Leaky Cauldron, Ginny was very annoyed by the noise. Trying her best to ignore it, however, she strode up to Tom, who was behind the bar, wiping glasses. Leaning in close, she whispered, "We need to Floo to the Ministry."

Going to The Leaky Cauldron was a lot easier and safer than connecting George's flat's fire to the Floo Network.

Tom nodded and put down the cloth and glass. He stepped out from behind the bar and walked George and Ginny up to one of the rooms. Once they had entered, and Tom had closed the door, George and Ginny handed Tom ten Knuts each, which he held up to the light before pocketing. Tom took out some Floo powder and handed a handful to George and Ginny. George stepped into the fireplace, dropped the Floo powder, and said, "Ministry of Magic." Green flames engulfed him, and he had gone. Ginny repeated George's actions, and stepped out of the fireplace.

George was waiting for her in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic, just a little away from the fireplace she had emerged out of. Ginny walked over to him and they headed to security. After getting their wands checked, Ginny guided a by then extremely nervous George to the lifts.

"You'll be fine," said Ginny as they entered one of the lifts.

To her surprise, Harry was there. Of course, he was an Auror, and therefore worked at the Ministry, but it was still a shock to see him.

"Hey Harry," said Ginny.

"Hi Ginny, George," replied Harry. George merely nodded, looking as though he'd be sick.

"Is Hermione at work?" asked Ginny.

"Nah, she's due next month, so she's just staying home with Dan," said Harry. He turned to George. "Ron and I can't make it, we've got torture."

Ginny knew that by 'torture', Harry meant paperwork. He had always complained about it to Ginny back when they were married. She smiled softly.

The lift stopped and the doors opened. The female voice said, "Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services."

Ginny, Harry and George stepped out of the lift. Harry turned to look at George and Ginny.

"Well, good luck," he said. He stepped forward and took George's hand and gave him a hug, gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek, and walked down to his office.

George and Ginny looked at each other.

"C'mon, George," said Ginny, and they headed in the opposite direction.

Outside the courtrooms, they met Alicia. She nodded curtly at them, but they didn't converse. When they were let in, George and Alicia took their places behind the podiums and Ginny stood over one of the many rows of empty seats. They stood until the Minister of Family Law, Madam Wakanda Travers, entered and took her seat behind the bench. The three of them then took their seats, and Ginny realised that the Aurors standing on either end of the bench were Ron and Harry. They beamed at her and George. Over to the far right, a scribe was seated, supervising a Quick Quotes Quill.

"The case for the custody of the unborn child of Miss Alicia Christine Spinnet and Mr George Weasley. The couple was unmarried, and remain so, when the child was conceived," said Madam Travers. She turned her head slightly to Alicia. "You are Alicia Christine Spinnet?"

"Yes, madam," said Alicia.

"And you are George Weasley?" asked Madam Travers, turning to George.

"Yes, madam," he replied.

"Very well," she sat back on her chair. "Miss Spinnet requests full custody of the unborn child, is that correct?"

Alicia nodded.

"But Mr Weasley only requests equal custody?"

"Yes, madam," said George.

"Miss Spinnet, why, exactly, do you wish to win full custody over your unborn child?" asked Madam Travers.

"Madam, Mr Weasley is irresponsible," started Alicia. "He has not sat his N.E.W.T.s, after leaving school early. Furthermore, for a living he runs a joke shop. I am afraid his bad qualities will rub off on the child."

Ginny had to stop her mouth from dropping. This was George's childhood friend, who had always loved Fred and George's jokes, suddenly claiming that he was irresponsible?

"Mr Weasley, do you have anything to say on the matter?" asked Madam Travers.

"Well, madam, the business I run, although it is a joke-shop, is financially profitable. Also, I believe it is important for my child to grow up happy, and the joke-shop will assist in doing just that," said George, and Ginny was impressed.

The case continued for another hour, and George and Alicia both argued well. Though, in the end, Ginny wasn't surprised that Alicia was given full custody, and that George wasn't allowed to visit unless given permission by Alicia: Alicia had argued just that tiny bit better.

"How did you get here?" Ginny asked Harry and Ron after Madam Travers had left.

"Change of plans," said Ron. "The two Aurors who were meant to be here are sick, and this is way better than torture."

"So, you okay George?" asked Harry.

George gave a faint smile.

"Well," said Ginny, "I'm sure you'll see your child soon."

Alicia laughed.

"Oh, you won't be seeing your child for a long time."

She walked out of the courtroom, and Ginny thought she saw a tear roll down George's cheek.

* * *

**AN:** Well, that's the end...of that chapter. The next chapters will probably have huge time differences in between, so if you don't like that then stop reading. Actually, don't. XD. I can't do every single day of their lives, just parts of it. I'll try and update soon. If I don't, please message me with hate mail! 


	5. Blackout at The Burrow

**Disclaimer: **If I have to tell you ONE more time that I am NOT JK Rowling...

* * *

Four years had passed since the court case for the custody of George and Alicia's child and, true to Alicia's word, George hadn't yet seen the child. All he knew, from his little correspondence with Alicia, was that it was a girl born on the 5th of September named Cleo Spinnet. George would always send a card to Cleo on the 5th of September, signed by all the Weasleys and Harry.

Meanwhile, Harry and Ginny had started taking care of Hope equally, one week at a time. At first, Ginny was very apprehensive: she kept telling Harry just what to do and how to do it. After a couple of weeks, however, she learned to trust Harry. After all, the whole wizarding population had trusted him with their lives.

One warm day in June, Hope looked up at her mother.

"Dinner at The Burrow?" she asked, her green eyes growing large with excitement.

"Yeah, the whole family's going to be there," said Ginny. "Daddy-"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out, as Hope began jumping on the bed that she and Ginny shared.

"Daddy!"

It was nine o'clock, and Ginny and Hope were living in a small house in the suburbs. It was roomy enough for the two of them, though not so big that it gave a feel that someone in the family was missing.

Ginny smiled down at her daughter. Even though Hope saw her parents equally, she looked forward to times when she could see the pair together. Ginny picked Hope of the bed and dropped her down on the floor.

"We have to go shopping, I have some stuff to get," said Ginny.

After about an hour, Hope and Ginny were fed and dressed. Ginny then side-along Apparated Hope to Diagon Alley. Grasping Hope's hand tightly, Ginny guided her along the street and into _Vineworths_, a wizarding supermarket. Hope immediately ran down to the Toys Section. Ginny sighed. Why did they have to put an aisle for toys in a supermarket?

"Just stay there!" she called after Hope.

After buying groceries, Ginny walked the trolley over to the toys aisle. Hope's green eyes were large as she stared at a Gwenog Jones action figure.

"Hope, darling."

Hope looked around at her mum.

"Mummy," she said, "can I have this, Mummy? Please?"

"You already have that, Hope, sweetie," said Ginny with a sigh.

"But, ma, this one has a different broom! It's a Cleansweep Revolution!"

Ginny glared at the action figure. How could they change the broom on the action figure of her favourite professional Quidditch player just to get more sales?

"No, Hope, now come along or we'll-"

Hope threw aside the doll. Anger danced in her eyes, and Ginny gulped: Hope was about to throw one of her rare tantrums. Ginny, however, knew how to handle it. She lay on her front and started kicking and screaming. Hope put the action figure back onto the shelf and Ginny stopped screaming when...

"Ginny?"

Ginny got off the floor in an instant. Clearing her view of her flaming red hair, Ginny saw Josie, Harry's latest girlfriend, pushing along a trolley. Harry had long since broken up with Zabrina, and Josie was his second girlfriend since. She had sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes and was looking at Ginny like she was some kind of freak (which was understandable, seeing as she had just thrown a tantrum). Ginny's cheeks turned red.

"Oh, hey Josie," she said, brushing her front. "Are you going to The Burrow tonight?"

"Yes," said Josie sweetly. "I really must get going; I have to go to work. Bye Ginny, bye Hope."

She took some of Hope's cheek in her fingers and shook it lightly, before walking down the aisle with her trolley. Hope rubbed her cheek up and down with her flat palm.

"C'mon Hope," said Ginny. She took Hope's hand and they walked with the trolley to the counter.

"Hello, how are you?" said the witch at the counter as she supervised the goods being magically checked out.

"Good, thanks," said Ginny. She paused. "You know, you really shouldn't have a toys section in a supermarket. Do you know how many kids come shopping with their parents and then have tantrums that they aren't getting the toy they want?"

The witch behind the counter handed Ginny a quill and the receipt with raised eyebrows.

"If you would like to make a complaint or suggestion, please see the Service Desk," she said as Ginny signed the receipt and pocketed her copy.

Ginny rolled her eyes and took a couple of bags in each hand. Hope took the remaining one, which was fairly light containing only one loaf of bread, in both her hands. With some difficulty, they Apparated back home.

When six pm rolled around, the doorbell to Ginny's home rang, and she went to answer it.

"Hey Tony," said Ginny to her boyfriend of a year and a half. He had freckles on his cheeks, light brown hair and blue eyes.

Tony greeted Ginny with a kiss and handed her a bunch of flowers.

"You look great."

"You're not hard to impress," said Ginny, for all she was wearing were plain denim jeans and a pink and white shirt.

"Well, you look great all the time," said Tony.

The couple stole a longer kiss away from Hope.

"I'll go put these flowers in a vase. Come in," said Ginny.

She took Tony's hand and guided him into the messy living room, where Hope was sitting on the floor and playing with her dolls. The young girl looked up when they entered and smiled. Ginny found a vase for the flowers and set them on the table.

Hope stood up and straightened her denim skirt before going over to her mum and tugging on her shirt.

"Mummy," she said, "are we going now?"

"Yes, hon," said Ginny, and she walked over to the fire. The three of them Flooed to The Burrow.

"Oh, hello, Ginny, dear," said Mrs Weasley approaching them. She took Hope in her arms. "Oh, Hope, you have grown!"

Hope giggled.

"Evening Tony, how are you doing?" asked Mrs Weasley.

"Fine, thanks," said Tony, snaking an arm around Ginny's waist.

"Hope, dear, Daddy's in the kitchen," said Mrs Weasley, putting Hope on the ground.

Hope was gone so fast she could have Apparated. She disregarded her aunts and Josie sitting there in the living room, pushed open the door and sat on Harry's lap, causing him a moment of surprise.

"Hello Hope," he said.

Hope looked around at everyone else sitting at the table. Bill's scarred face, long hair and wide smile could be seen opposite her. Hope also saw Charlie, his muscular build and heavily-freckled skin next to Percy and Ron. Mr Weasley was walking around the kitchen getting some glasses ready. The only uncle of Hope's that was missing was George.

"Where's Uncle George?" asked Hope, turning to her dad and tilting her head sideways.

"He'll be here soon, he's just getting some Butterbeer," assured Harry, as Tony entered the room and everyone greeted him.

Sure enough, after Hope chatted to her uncles, grandpa and father for five minutes, George walked through the kitchen door.

"Hey y'all," he said, putting a keg of Butterbeer on the kitchen shelf and sitting on the table. "What's up?"

Hope, her uncles, her grandpa and Tony were soon driven out of the kitchen so Mrs Weasley could finish off some last minute cooking. Harry carried Hope to the living room and he and the other guys found seats around the room.

Harry sat himself and Hope down by Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Josie in a corner of the living room. Hope sat in between Ginny and Harry shyly. Harry had intertwined his hand with Josie's and eventually Tony wandered over and sat next to Ginny.

Charlie, Bill and Kiara, Charlie's wife, were talking and laughing at the other side of the room. Kiara and Charlie's children, six-year-old Damien and five-year-old Naomi were talking to Percy and Arabella's four-year-old, Laine. Arabella was talking to George, cradling her one-year-old Tina and laughing every so often. Percy was in deep conversation with Mr Weasley and Mrs Weasley, who had finished her cooking, probably about something boring. Hermione was holding her one-year-old, Adam, as Ron held two-year-old Heather and three-year-old Sean.

"Where're Dan and MJ?" asked Harry, referring to Hermione and Ron's two eldest children, six-year-old Daniel and four-year-old Melanie-Jane.

"They're up in Ginny's old room playing Exploding Snap," said Hermione.

"Hope, d'you want to go join them too?" asked Harry lightly.

Hope shook her head shyly.

"All the other kids are going up too," observed Josie, as Damien, Naomi and Laine climbed the stairs.

Hope still shook her head. She was rather shy among children her age, even if they were her cousins.

"Bill and George still single?" asked Harry, dropping his voice.

"No one will take Bill because of his face," said Ron sadly, "and I don't think George even wants anyone, after Alicia."

Hope tilted her head to the side, meaning that she was either listening intently or curious. Ginny saw this and said, "So what's this I hear about Dad using electricity?"

Those who were gathered in the corner laughed.

"He's just using electric lights for this floor," said Hermione. "All the other floors are normal magical lighting."

"How he got Mum to agree is beyond me though," added Ron.

As they laughed, the lights flickered and then turned off. Two screams could be heard: one from Mrs Weasley and one from Hope.

"Arthur! You _told_ me that blackouts are extremely rare!"

"Well, Molly, darling," said Mr Weasley, evidently scared.

"Mum! Dad! I can't see!" cried the voice of Hope.

The voice was not coming from in between Harry and Ginny, but somewhere in front of them.

"Hang on Hope, it's just dark," said Ginny and Harry at the same time.

They slid off the couch and onto their knees, crawling around trying to find Hope. The only light visible was a small line of it from under the door of Ginny's room. Harry and Ginny reached out with their hands in an attempt to grab Hope, whose footsteps could be heard going all around the room. Ginny reached out her hand and caught another's, but it was not Hope's. The hand felt familiar and it had been a good four years since Ginny had last felt this hand in hers. The weird thing was: neither of them let go. They abandoned their search for Hope completely.

But the lights flickered back on at the same time that Charlie let out a yell. As everyone's gaze turned to Charlie, Ginny and Harry shared a glance, blushed and let go of each other before turning to Charlie. Apparently Hope had run into Charlie in places no man wants to get hit.

Hope looked up at her uncle's pained face with a curious expression. She asked something that only a four-year-old girl would ask to express her curiosity and the room, minus Charlie, cracked up laughing.

* * *

**AN: **Yeah, I know the part where I describe everyone's families isn't exactly smooth, but I really suck at doing that during family gatherings. Won't be updating for a while - going to Melbourne! Earliest you'll see an update is probably Tuesday, and I need to figure out what I'm going to put next.

Oh, and the Ginny throwing a tantrum thing is from some ad. I don't know what it's for, but the tagline is something like, "Attack colds before they start".

**  
**


	6. An Average Day

**Disclaimer: **Read the penname _WishIWas_JKR, not JKR

**AN: **I thought this story was ditched, but I got another favouriter/alerter and I thought I can't let them all down. So here's a chappie. I've got the next one written – it was the first I ever wrote for this story, so yeah. Gotta type it up (it's on tissues and notepads. I got inspiration when I was in Sri Lanka with no laptop). But I'll update soon! Just review with your thoughts. Yeah i know nothing happens here, just a gapfiller but it gives you an idea of what happens.

* * *

"Morning Hope!"

Hope Weasley-Potter's eyes flickered open as her dad entered her room. It was painted blue with toys littering the floor, as any four-year-old's room would be. There was a life-sized unicorn foal plush toy, which walked on its own, action figures of Quidditch players, life-like dolls and more.

Harry walked over to the curtains and wrenched them apart, letting the sunlight flow freely into the room. The unicorn, which was lying down, put its hooves in front of its eyes. Harry sat down on Hope's bed and poked her.

Hope sat up and brushed her hair behind her shoulders. She got up and ran to the kitchen table, where Harry took a seat, fully-dressed, and started reading the _Daily Prophet_. After Hope ate her _Quidditch Stars_ cereal ("They fly around in your mouth!") she brushed her teeth and changed.

Grasping Hope's hand, Harry guided her to the fire and they Flooed to the Ministry of Magic. Hope held onto her father tightly as they weaved through the crowds. She thought she saw her uncle, Percy, in deep discussion with a stern-looking witch with her white-blonde hair in a bun and square black glasses. However, Harry and Hope were soon in one of the lifts and zooming to Level Two. The voice so familiar to Hope and Harry said, "Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services," with Hope saying it too. It was what she did to amuse herself, even though the other witches and wizards in the lift stared.

Harry and Hope walked out of the lift and made their way to the Head Auror office. Harry hung his coat on the chair behind the desk and made himself comfortable in the chair. It was another average Harry-taking-care-of-Hope day. The little redhead was in a corner, playing with some toys and reading easy picture books as her father worked away in the Auror office. Whenever Harry didn't have to do something, he'd wander over to Hope and read her a book or play with her. One of Hope's favourite games to play with Harry was "Tea Party", which just happened to be the game they were playing when Ron burst into the room.

"Hey Ha-oh," he stopped as he saw Harry sitting cross-legged on the floor opposite Hope and taking a sip out of a small cup that had a painted unicorn dancing about its surface. It was with immense difficulty that Ron stopped himself from laughing. "Um, we've got a couple of wizards in Huddersfield that you might want to check out."

Harry got up, said goodbye to Hope, and rushed out with Ron. Hope started talking to her teddy bear. The bear was caramel brown and had a ribbon around its neck, a tag attached with "Kyutsie" written in a three-year-old's scrawl.

"Are you hungry Kyutsie?" asked Hope, nodding the bear's head. "Well, let's go see Gen."

Hope dragged Kyutsie along the floor and walked out of the room. Adjacent to Harry's office sat a witch sitting behind a wooden desk, her face looking plastic and her brunette hair in a ponytail.

"Hello Hope," she said, turning away from her paperwork. "PBJ sandwich?"

Hope nodded and the secretary, Gen, waved her wand to make a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich.

"So what's Daddy doing today?" asked Hope.

"He's gone to save some kittens who got stuck up a tree," said Gen, handing over Hope's sandwich.

"Aww," said Hope, "the poor kittens. Daddy really is a hero! Thanks for the sandwich."

"You're welcome," said Gen, watching Hope drag Kyutsie back to the Head Auror office with a smile.

Hope sat down with Kyutsie on her dad's office chair and ate her sandwich. She offered some to Kyutsie by jabbing a small piece into where the teddy's mouth was, leaving a red and orange stain. Once she had finished her sandwich, Hope swung the chair around, causing her to feel dizzy.

Hope puked on the carpet and started to cry, gaining the attention of Hermione. Hope's aunt came in and cleaned Hope and the carpet, playing with Hope as she did so. The four-year-old was still laughing at Hermione when Harry came in.

"Hello sunshine," said Harry, walking over, picking Hope up and swinging her round. "Time to go home. Oh, Hermione, did she throw up?"

Hermione nodded.

"They're kids, Harry," said Hermione with a smile.

"Thanks Hermione." Harry gave her friend a one-arm hug. "I have to go, she's going back to Gin's place tomorrow and we haven't packed yet."

"Okay, you take care," said Hermione, kissing Hope on the cheek.

Hope leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and waved at Hermione till she was out of sight.

"Hey, sunshine, you've got you're first day of school soon," said Harry.

Hope squealed.


	7. Wizard Prep School

**Disclaimer: **Not JKR

**AN: **I got an anonymous review that I thought I should address, even though that person will probably never read this.

I do not think I can improve upon the genius work that is Harry Potter, and I mean no disrespect to Joanne Rowling. I have a great deal of respect to the woman who brought Harry into the world, her talent, her writing, her ethics…. Fanfiction is all about taking someone's characters and putting them in different situations, and stuff. And about making everything bad? Well, hmm, there kind of needs to be a problem in the story, doesn't there? Unless it's a little oneshot, which this story isn't. Mind you, "blank", you have only read the first chapter, by the look of it. And I haven't even published the full thing. So how do you know it's not going to end all happy? Oh, and characters aren't real! So if something bad happens, it's not like _I'm_ killing them. Not really.

Having said that, I understand that not everyone's going to like what I do. So I hope blank succeeds in finding a story she/he likes better. XD

**ANYWAY**

* * *

Hope Weasley-Potter woke her mum nice and early for her first day of wizard prep school.

"Ma! Wake up!" she said, jumping on their bed. The older redhead groaned and tickled Hope.

"Alright, angel, I'm coming."

Ginny got out of bed and held her arms out for Hope, who pouted.

"I'm a big kid now!" she protested, jumping off the bed and leading the way to the kitchen.

"What would you like for breakfast then?" asked Ginny, following her daughter.

"I've got it all ready!" said Hope proudly, pulling Ginny into the kitchen by the hand.

Ginny saw, in short, a mess. The cereal had been served into two bowls, though it seemed that Hope had managed to put more cereal surrounding the bowls than in it, the milk had been spilt, and chairs and stools had been arranged around the kitchen so that Hope could reach everything she needed.

"It looks lovely," enthused Ginny, taking a seat at one of the tables and noting that the chair was very wet. She took some comfort in the fact that it was from the milk and nothing else.

The two redheads ate breakfast, Hope dashing off every two minutes to check that everything was packed in her _Unicorn Magic_ backpack.

"Daddy's coming over to check on you," said Ginny once Hope had returned for the umpteenth time.

"Really?" said Hope, and Ginny nodded. Then her eyes narrowed. "Is she bringing Ebony?"

Ebony Fischer was Harry's latest girlfriend, a hazel-eyed brunette who was also an Auror. The problem was, she was always treating Hope like a baby.

"I think so," said Ginny, taking the bowls to the sink and beginning the clean up with a wave of her wand. Hope groaned.

After they had brushed their teeth and gotten changed, Ginny was packing Hope some peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches when the doorbell rang. Hope sped out the kitchen and into the hall, opening the door for her dad and Ebony.

She returned to the kitchen a moment later, dragging Harry by the hand, who, because he was holding her hand, dragged Ebony in. 

"Hey Ginny!" said Harry, walking over to the bench by which she was standing and looking into Hope's lunchbox. "Y'know, she's a hungry one, she'll want more than one sandwich."

"Yes," cooed Ebony, bending down and pinching Hope's cheek. "She is growing up!"

Ginny had a certain amount of admiration for Hope, who just gritted her teeth and bared it.

"Which one of you's dropping me off?" asked Hope

"I think I am," said Harry, walking over to Hope and picking her up.

"Can't both of you?" whined Hope.

"What? And have the magazines in a frenzy? 'Harry and Ginny: Back Together'?" asked Ginny scornfully.

The second after it came out of Ginny's mouth, she regretted it. Everyone froze, Hope with a curious expression on her face, and Harry said seriously, "Ginny. A word, please?"

Ginny followed Harry into the living room.

"What do you think you just said?" he burst out, turning to her. "We don't want Hope finding out how public our lives are!"

"I'm sorry," said Ginny, meaning it. "It just slipped out. But, I think, no, I'm sure she's going to find out someday."

"Yeah, but we'll tell her the truth," said Harry, starting to pace.

"What I let slip _was_ the truth."

"They won't think we're together again," said Harry, stopping his pacing to face his ex-wife, "because Ebony would be with us."

"No she bloody well won't," said Ginny, her voice not raised but still angry. "She treats Hope like a baby."

"She's only-"

"In five years she's grown a lot," protested Ginny. "She has an opinion. She hates Ebony." Then, her voice became full of emotion. "The only reason she doesn't say anything is because she loves you."

"And, she doesn't hate Mark, then?" Harry shot back.

"Hope likes my boyfriend a lot, maybe as much as she likes you," said Ginny calmly.

There was a pause.

"Do you really mean that?" asked Harry, a little hurt.

Ginny stuttered. Harry walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"C'mon Hope," said Harry. "Ebony, do you want to head off to work?"

"Alright," said Ebony. She kissed Harry and Disapparated.

"Ginny, I'll take Hope," said Harry, putting Hope's lunchbox in her bag and zipping it up.

"No! You can't just come into my house and take my daughter away from me!"

"Freaking hell, Ginny! She's my daughter too!" Harry yelled back. "I thought we agreed that you get her ready and then I take her to school?"

"It's my week," exclaimed Ginny, "so I should take her."

"Why can't I come with you?" asked Harry.

"Because of the b----- magazines."

"Why do you care?"

"Hope doesn't want her fri-"

"Her friends will know anyway! That she's the daughter of a Potter and a Weasley and that they divorced."

"Well Hope-"

"-wants to have her say," said Hope, calmly and maturely. "We'll do "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"!"

Ginny stared at Hope and then Harry, who shrugged.

"Beats arguing."

Hope started at Ginny, which of course meant that she ended at Harry. After saying goodbye to Ginny and arranging for her to pick Hope up, Harry and Hope dashed out the door.

That afternoon, Harry dropped in to check on Hope.

"How was your day?" asked Ginny, setting a cup of coffee in front of Harry as he sat at the kitchen table.

"Ah, nothing much," he said casually. "Just broke up with Ebony."

"Why?" asked Ginny, nearly spitting out the mouthful of coffee she had just sipped.

"We weren't working out," said Harry indifferently. But Ginny knew that it was because of Hope. "But anyway, what about Hope's day?"

As if on cue, Hope ran into the kitchen and started telling her dad all about her day.

_Two weeks later _

"Oh, Mum! School is so much fun!" said Hope after she and Ginny Apparated back home in the afternoon. "Laine, MJ and I learnt how to read!"

"Great," enthused Ginny. She sat Hope down on the couch, made her a sandwich and poured her a glass of milk. "Hey, listen, I'm just going to go up and take a shower."

Hope nodded and started singing a little song, a continuous repetition of "I can read now!" while dancing around the room and Ginny wandered into the bathroom. Hope would occasionally stop singing and dancing to take a bite of her sandwich or a sip of her milk. Then, suddenly, something stored under the coffee table caught Hope's eye.

"Oooh!" she squealed. "I can read mummy's big people magazines now!"

She snatched up the magazine on the top.

"_Witch Weekly_," read Hope aloud, slowly but accurately. She flicked through to a page that was pink and inviting. "_Giving your daughter The Talk. Telling your child all about me-men_." Hope stuttered on the word, and, deciding it was too long, flipped through to another page. Her jaw dropped.

In the centre of the page was a picture of Harry and Ginny together, holding hands. Hope read eagerly.

"_Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, voted this year's favourite ex-couple, married and had a child together, Hope Weasley Potter. The couple are very rich and well-known, Harry being the defeater of Lord Vol-vol_," (Hope skipped over the word, unable to read it.) "_and Ginny being a famous ex-Quidditch player. It is said that the couple hate each other now and when they meet are always shouting-_"

Hope put the magazine down as she heard her mum coming, and took a sip of her milk. Her thoughts were in a whirl.


	8. Playday

**Disclaimer: **Not JKR

**AN: **Bleh

Hope tied her joggers and waited for her mum. She was seven, and had grown quite a bit. Nevertheless, the magazine article she had read that evening after school two years ago was still in her mind.

"Ready?" called Hope to her mum, standing on the doormat and tapping her foot impatiently.

"I'm coming," said Ginny, grabbing the keys from the coffee table and stepping outside. She locked the door and turned to Hope. "C'mon, let's go."

The walk to Hermione and Ron's was only short, but Hope still wanted to get there faster. She hadn't seen MJ since wizard prep school the previous week, as they were on holidays. When they got there, Hope continually pressed the doorbell.

"Hope!" scolded Ginny as Ron answered the door.

"Hey Ginny," said Ron. "Hello Hope!"

Ron bent down and lifted Hope up.

"Piggyback?" asked Ron.

Hope nodded and Ron lifted her onto his shoulders and piggybacked her to the playroom, where MJ, Dan, Sean, Heather and Adam were, playing with different toys. Well, nine-year-old Dan was lying on his back on the couch and reading a small novel.

"Hope!" squealed MJ, running up to Ron and jumping up and down.

Ron put Hope down, thinking MJ had had just a bit too much sugar, and walked Ginny over to the kitchen.

"What do you think they're talking about?" asked MJ in a whisper.

"Who cares?" said Hope with a shrug. "Hey, didn't you get that new Eleanor T. doll?"

"Mm, yeah," said MJ, dragging Hope by the hand to where five-year-old Heather was playing with some dolls.

"That's Eleanor T," said MJ, pointing at the doll in Heather's hand. It had shiny red hair and brown eyes.

"Oooh!" said Hope, sitting on her shins and leaning forward. "D'you have her boyfriend too?"

"Yep," said MJ, walking over to her wooden toy box and rummaging around. After a couple of seconds she pulled out a male doll with black hair and green eyes.

"Woah!"

"What?" asked MJ of Hope, staring at the doll to find any flaws that could have caused Hope's sudden amazement.

"Nothing," said Hope. Truth be told, the dolls reminded her of her parents. Except her parents hated each other. That's what the magazines said, anyway.

They sat and played dolls for the next hour as Ginny, Hermione and Ron talked in the kitchen.

"C'mon Hope," said Ginny, walking into the playroom. As soon as she saw Eleanor T and her boyfriend, anger burnt silently inside her.

_Great,_ she thought, _even the effing toy companies are mocking us_.

Hope said goodbye to MJ and her brothers and sisters and, with Ginny, walked out the door and up the footpath. The sun was setting, and the walk back seemed longer than the walk there, especially with Hope's questions.

"Mummy, do you hate Daddy?" asked Hope suddenly. She felt Ginny's hand twitch over hers.

"No, Hope," said Ginny with a wide, fake smile. "We just had some rows and decided it would be best to live separately."

"So you still love him?" asked Hope, very hopeful.

"Yes," said Ginny warmly.

"Is that why you said his name last night in your sleep?" asked Hope.

The smile disappeared off Ginny's face. She knew Hope was right. Her dream last night had been of Harry and her, together in their school years.

"I think it's time you got your own room," said Ginny with a half smile.

* * *

Yeah, I know, nothing happened... 


	9. Confuzzled for a title

**Disclaimer: **Not JKR

**AN: **Twilight is the bomb! Edward Cullen… XP

George dragged his feet along the timber floors and sat on his chair. Rubbing his face, he thought of the hard day he had had, all because a little kid had knocked over a row of Decoy Detonators. He could not blame the boy, though, as he was definitely not worse than a young George.

George's thoughts strayed to his daughter, Cleo. He was deeply saddened by the fact that he had missed out on six years of her life already. He didn't even know what she looked like.

As he got off his chair and started shuffling through some order forms, George couldn't stop himself thinking about Alicia. He definitely didn't hate her, although he did wish that she didn't stop him from seeing their child.

_Their child. _Cleo was as much his as hers. What more right, then, did Alicia have that allowed her full custody, when George was left trying to imagine his daughter's face?

"Mr Weasley?"

Verity poked her head into George's office, allowing a stream of light into the room.

"A customer wants to see you," said Verity, before disappearing.

George got off his chair and walked out the door Verity had just used and behind the counter of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes

"May I help you?"

He nearly gasped. The customer, a lady in her mid-twenties, was waiting at the counter, drumming her fingers, perfectly pink nails flashing up and down. She wore black mini shorts, a blue top, her black shoulder-length hair covering the thin straps, and fishnet stockings. The lady's chin was bruised and her cheek was scarred, but George still recognized her face.

"Ronald!"

Ron let out a grunt and flicked through the channels on the TV, lying back on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table and a spilled popcorn bowl.

"Ronald!"

Hermione stormed into the room, her hair frizzy, a stack of plates in one hand and perfectly folded sheets in the other.

"RON!"

_Grunt_.

"Why didn't you get any conditioner?"

"I never use any," said Ron with a shrug.

"But _I_ do," said Hermione, seething. She put the sheets and plates on the coffee table and shoved Ron's feet aside.

"Hey!"

"I spent ages cleaning that yesterday!"

"Wouldn't happen if you just enslaved a house elf," muttered Ron as Hermione had her back to him and dusted off the top of the TV with a rug.

Hermione whipped around to Ron, her lips curled and eyes narrowed. She raged over and sat beside Ron, before whispering in his ear threateningly, "Why don't you do some cleaning then? You're obviously a lot stupider than a house elf."

Hermione leaned over Ron, grabbed the bowl of popcorn and walked around the coffee table and into the kitchen, making sure to knock over the pile of sheets and plates in a crash. Ron sat, still staring at the TV, looking horrified.

"Verity, you can go home now," said George.

"Yes Mr Weasley," replied Verity, the door jingling as she exited.

George turned back to the lady.

I haven't seen you in so long," he said, placing his backside on the counter and swinging his legs around so that he sat facing the lady.

"Ever since…"

"Yeah."

"Cleo's doing alright," said the lady.

"That's good. She started Wizard Prep School?"

"Yeah," said the lady, brushing her hair behind her shoulders. "I think she got her brains from her Mum though. She's a bit too smart to get them from you."

George slid off the counter and gave the lady a hug.

"I've missed you."

"Same."

"Are you with anyone?" asked George, backing away and holding the lady gently by her shoulders.

"You know me. I can't stick with one guy, they're all too boring."

"Even me?"

"We tried that, remember?" said the lady with a laugh. "In your sixth year, my third?"

"Oh," said George. "Hah. Yeah. _She_ got quite cut at us. Hey, d'you think you could bring Cleo? Some other time?" asked George.

"I'd die. Whenever they come to Diagon Alley, she doesn't even let her near this store."

"Is she stopping you from coming here too?" asked George, sliding his hands down the lady's arms and holding her hands. "Or trying to?"

"Pretty much. I think she's scared we might run off together. But, what, six years without you is way too long."

"Hey," said George, mocking shock. "Who said I'd ever run away with you?"

The lady laughed and placed her lips on George's. Although he hadn't been kissed in six years, George recalled and did everything the way he usually did, which meant that the lady got a very good kiss.

Realisation coming to him, George pulled away, turned and leant both hands on the counter.

"George."

"No," said George firmly, shaking his head. "Zoe, I haven't even seen you in six years."

"But I've been thinking about you for six years," whispered Zoe, her breath tickling George's ear.

"Hermione?"

Ron found his wife in their bedroom, sitting on one edge of the bed with tears pouring down her face. He sat down next to her and held her crumpled frame.

"I'm sorry," said Ron, placing a gentle kiss on Hermione's cheek, stopping a tear in the process. "I was being a lazy git."

"It's my fault," said Hermione, turning and sobbing into Ron's chest.

This sort of behaviour was extremely unlike Hermione, and Ron knew that something serious was happening.

"'Mione, what do you mean?"

Hermione started crying harder, hugging Ron as though her life depended on it.

"I'm s-s-sorry."

"Hermione." Ron kissed the top of her head. "What -?"

"I'm pregnant," wailed Hermione, letting go of Ron and burying her face in her pillow.

"I don't want you," said George steadily, turning around to face Zoe. "I want…"

"You want Alicia?" asked Zoe, raising her eyebrows. "What more is she? We're practically the same, I've just got a couple of bruises from the Hogwarts battle."

"You're not the same," said George. "She liked my jokes, she played Quidditch. She understood me perfectly."

"George, c'mon, they all say that we could be twins."

_Twins_. The word seemed to send a shock through George.

"You only look like her."

"We share the same blood, don't we?"

"Don't."

The use of the word 'twin' was still having its effect on George. He found himself thinking that if Fred were in this situation he'd have grabbed Zoe and snogged her senseless an age ago.

_But I'm not Fred._

The second voice in his head practically tore George apart. He covered his face with his hand and said, his voice muffled, "Go."

Zoe raised her eyebrows before heading to the door.

"You're not the flirt you used to be," she said, mocking disappointment. "You used to always give the girls you knew who visited a free product."

"That was Fred," said George angrily as the bell tinkled, but Zoe had already gone.

AN: _Ooh, how original! Give the divorcee an "easy" sister. Hmm and yes there is something more to why Hermione and Ron are in a tight situation. _

_I've got a lot to write about the other couples, I know. Review? Please!!_

Sorry for lateness!


	10. His child

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling would never do this to her characters

**AN: **After reading _New Moon_ and _Eclipse: _Stuff Edward… Jacob Black!

"Sh, 'Mione."

Ron stroked Hermione's hair, trying to figure it out.

"But," he said. "I don't understand…how?"

"It's not you…it's Bill," Hermione wailed. "I'm s-sorry! He just really wanted a child, and he seemed really upset and lonely and I wanted to help."

"So that makes it okay to do it this way?" asked Ron, trying to keep his anger to a minimum.

Hermione sobbed harder, making Ron instinctively reach out and hug her.

"I want to talk to Bill," said Ron, taking out a quill and some parchment. "Pigwidgeon!

_Bill._

_Come here. Now_

_Ron_

He put the letter in the owl's beak and watched him fly out the window, patting Hermione comfortingly.

………………………………………………..

"Mummy, when can I go and see Daddy?"

Cleo looked up at her mother through her curtain of dark brown hair, her big grey eyes pleading.

"Not today, dear," said Alicia with a sigh.

"Mum, why can't I see him?" whined Cleo. "Angie's allowed to see her mum whenever she wants and her mum's locked up in Muggle prison."

"Aunt Zoe's coming over tomorrow," said Alicia brightly, changing the subject a little too obviously. "We're going to go to Diagon Alley; you can stop by at the ice-cream parlour."

"Okay," said Cleo gloomily.

…………………………………………………….

"I didn't know that you were so against Muggle technology," said Hermione with a sniff.

"Muggle technology? Hermione, now I'm _really_ confused."

"Er, well, there's this Muggle technology called IVF-"

"That thing," said Ron, relieved. "You mean you and Bill used IVF…why didn't you say so?"

"I never thought you'd think…what kind of wife d'you think I am?"

"I'm sorry," said Ron, placing a soft kiss on Hermione's forehead. "Well," he said, suddenly excited. "When's he or she due?"

"Six months, in September," said Hermione, now smiling. "Oh, Ron, thankyou."

"Anything to make Bill happy, so long as I get to keep you," whispered Ron against Hermione's ear.

_Knock. _

"Come in," said Ron as he and Hermione sat up.

"What do you want then?" asked Bill, stepping into the room while swinging his wand around. "I've got some forms to fill for work tomorrow."

"Don't you want to know whether it's a boy or a girl?" asked Ron, stepping up and taking a few potions ingredients out of the cupboard.

Hermione walked over to Bill and gave him a hug before catching up with Ron, kissing his cheek and helping sort the ingredients. Bill went to fetch a cauldron and in next to no time an Infant Gender Potion was bubbling away, the green smoke concealing the roof of the room.

Using her wand, Hermione cut off a bit of her hair and dropped it into the cauldron before stepping back and grasping the hands of both Bill and Ron with hers. Slowly, the potion changed colour to a light blue.

"Boy," said Hermione excitedly, letting go of the men's hand and clapping excitedly. "Oh that will be so much easier for you, Bill."

She embraced Bill in a bear hug, still ranting about how awful it would have been if the child was a girl.

"-and imagine how awkward _the talk_ would have been," said Hermione as she let Bill go.

"Hermione," said Bill, cutting her off, "thankyou, for giving me a family."

"Oh, it was nothing, really," gushed Hermione, though she seemed a bit teary. "Now, we'll have to take all the baby stuff out of the shed, Ron, and get it all cleaned up. Bill, you better go and tell Mum and Dad."

"And what about you then?" asked Ron.

"I'm going to get some sleep," said Hermione, "before all this pregnancy stuff kicks in."

As she climbed into bed, Hermione shuddered at the thought of morning sickness before reminding herself what, or rather who, she was doing this for. Ron was by her side in an instant, bending down to kiss her cheek.

"Night love," he whispered, before hurrying out the door with Bill.

……………………………………………………..

Alicia lay in bed that night struggling to get to sleep. Her thoughts seemed to be locked on the conversation she and Cleo had a few hours ago.

"Mum, why can't I see him?" Cleo had asked.

Why? What was the cause of Alicia's prevention of her daughter seeing her father? It wasn't fair, and she knew it, but what was keeping her from doing what was right.

_You're afraid_, a voice in her head answered.

The voice sent a wave of defiance down Alicia's spine.

"I'm not," she told herself. "I'm just trying to protect Cleo."

_From what?_

"From a shabby future," said Alicia. "George was a bad influence."

_Then why do you love him?_

"I _liked_ him because I was deluded."

_And you liked the Muggle down the road because he was hot._

"So?"

_You loved Fred._

"You have no proof."

"Mum?"

Cleo took a step into her mum's room, looking confused.

"Ma, stop talking to yourself, I'm trying to get to sleep."

"Oh," said Alicia, having realised what she had just did. "Sorry, Cleo. Night."

She kissed Cleo, watched her leave and tried again for sleep.

"Goodnight George," she mumbled against her pillow before she surrendered herself to her dreams. "I love you."

A pair of grey eyes from the doorway danced with delight, before Alicia's bedroom door shut quietly. Light footsteps made their way to the smaller bedroom of the house, only silenced when their owner lay in bed.

**AN: **Woah that chappie sucked. I'm addicted to flashing to and from scenes now – sorry. Bill&Hermione is not as bad as what I had originally planned, but I think this way they're more in character and it's more believable – but wth this story would never happen anyway – at least not the HPGW bits.


	11. Found

**Disclaimer: Not JKR**

"I saw that!"

George rushed to a small freckled boy as he stood frozen against shelves of Skiving Snackboxes.

"Empty your pockets," said George calmly.

He watched as the boy produced a bunch of Puking Pastilles out of his pockets and placed them guiltily back in their boxes.

"Where's your mum?" asked George, gazing at the boy through wary eyes.

"Gringotts," the boy mumbled under his thick brown hair.

George rolled his eyes. Another child who'd snuck away from their parents to steal some of his products.

"I suggest you go back to her, before I give her a visit."

The boy nodded and scurried out of the shop as George made his way back behind the counter. He was finding it harder to sympathise with young pranksters, probably because of his encounter the previous day. Zoe Spinnet strutting – actually, it would probably make more sense if you replaced the word with another that sounded similar – around his jokeshop, taunting George about Fred. That was how bad it had seemed, no matter what her actual intentions were.

Today was going to be another rough day in the shop, George thought. Not only was it Easter holidays, but Verity had taken leave and only the new assistant Alita, the cashier and George were taking care of the shop. George watched as Alita carefully stacked a few WonderWitch products on the shelves. He decided to go and help her.

"Need a hand?"

Alita jumped, dropping a few bottles of Patented Daydream Charms in her shock. But George was quick with his wand, Summoning them in an instant.

"Sorry Mr Weasley," said Alita, blushing crimson. She reached out and took the Patented Daydream Charms from George and turned to put them on the shelf.

George stared at her wavy black hair with raised eyebrows before helping stack the bottles.

"Verity explained everything then?"

Alita nodded. She looked to be only in her teens, and seemed very shy. George wondered why Verity had hired her, and why Alita had even looked for work in a jokeshop.

"Right, well, Alita, we have a lot of pickpockets during the holidays," said George, certain that Verity had not explained this bit. "You've got to be alert. See that kid there? He's looking around; you know he's going to do something. Now, I want you to watch him for a moment, but still keep an eye on everything else and keep stacking. If he takes anything, be right on him. Get him to put it back and go back to his parents, escort him to them if necessary. You've got to show authority."

Alita nodded, a little overwhelmed at how much her job involved, and George walked back over to the counter, though not retreating behind it.

"Excuse me?"

The soft child's voice made George look down. He didn't ask the girl to turn out her pockets, or whether she needed help finding her mum, but instead bent down to look her full in the face. She had _her_ hair, falling down to her elbows, as well as _her_ face in general. But she had his eyes. And George knew, as he silently embraced the child, that she wasn't lost, but both of them were found.

George and Cleo broke apart and stared at each other for a moment, before Zoe stepped forward. Before anyone had time to say anything, however the bell above the door tinkled and Alicia walked in, clearly angry.

"Zoe, how could-"

She stopped when she saw George with her hands still gripping Cleo's shoulders, but couldn't bring herself to be angrier. It was George. She'd forgotten just how much he attracted her. It was like a force of nature, trying to pull her towards him. But she had to resist.

"C'mon Cleo, let's go," said Alicia, holding out her hand for Cleo.

"But Mum."

"C'mon, we'll get macaroni and cheese flavoured ice-cream, your favourite."

"Mum," said Cleo, wriggling free of George's grasp. "You can't win me over like that when this is the first time I'm seeing Dad."

"You're not supposed to be seeing him," said Alicia with a glare towards Zoe. She stood as casually as ever, inspecting her shiny blue nails.

"You said you love him," shouted Cleo suddenly, gathering the attention of the customers. Alita froze from her position reprimanding a young girl. "Last night, before you went to sleep. I heard you."

"I-I."

Alicia wasn't prepared for that, especially since she didn't even know herself. She looked at George, eyes sad. She gave in to the voice inside her head, the one that had been there the past six years telling her she loved George.

"I'm sorry," whispered Alicia.

George stood up and held his arms out. Alicia ran into them, knowing he was expecting nothing more than a hug but surprising him with a kiss.

"Miss Spinnet, you really know how to torture a guy," whispered George. But he placed a soft kiss on Alicia's forehead.

George Weasley's life was going to turn out okay after all.

**AN: **Well, that wraps up George's problem. Now, the others…


End file.
